Since May, 21 states have removed broad mental health and substance abuse questions from medical licensing applications, according to a July 10 report from Medscape.
This shift could make it easier for physicians — and future physicians — to seek mental health treatment at a time when burnout continues to grow.
Foundations and advocacy groups, including the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation, which fights physician burnout, have been working with state medical boards and hospitals to get these mental health questions removed.
According to Medscape's "Physician Burnout & Depression Report 2023," 4 in 10 physicians did not seek help for burnout or depression because they were concerned that an employer or medical board would find out.
One Oregon physician told Medscape that after she reported an episode of mania to her state medical board, she went through a four-month investigation, faced a loss in income and poorer work evaluations.
New York, Texas, California, Montana, Illinois and North Carolina are among the 21 states that either ask no mental health-related questions or ask only a single question.
In March, Virginia became the first state to enact a law requiring the removal of mental health related questions on all physician applications. The Illinois General Assembly passed a similar bill in May.
Hospital accreditor The Joint Commission has been in favor of states removing mental health questions from applications since 2020, the report said.